That's why it doesn't have any real fortifications of its own - it doesn't need any against the wildlings cause there's the great big wall between them, and it isn't supposed to need any against the men from the seven kingdoms.

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That's why it doesn't have any real fortifications of its own - it doesn't need any against the wildlings cause there's the great big wall between them, and it isn't supposed to need any against the men from the seven kingdoms.

Well now that baffles me a bit, so the Others can't pass the wall but WW can?? I'm referring to the 2 WW that were kill inside castle Black, or is it because the NW let them in??

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The rules are never spelled out to us, but it does seem plausible that the wights could pass the wall because the NW carried them across.

However, it could also be that while the Black Gate carries the protection against wight-like beings (we know that it keeps out Coldhands), the Castle Black Gate does not. We simply don't know, but on the other hand that gives us a great freedom to speculate ;-)

(By the way, just to make sure: Others and WW are used as synonyms for the ice sidhe like beings. The reanimated corpses are referred to as wights. Coldhands resembles a wight in several respects, but his eyes are black instead of blue. Maybe this somehow signifies that he's not being controlled by the Others.)

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The rules are never spelled out to us, but it does seem plausible that the wights could pass the wall because the NW carried them across.

However, it could also be that while the Black Gate carries the protection against wight-like beings (we know that it keeps out Coldhands), the Castle Black Gate does not. We simply don't know, but on the other hand that gives us a great freedom to speculate ;-)

(By the way, just to make sure: Others and WW are used as synonyms for the ice sidhe like beings. The reanimated corpses are referred to as wights. Coldhands resembles a wight in several respects, but his eyes are black instead of blue. Maybe this somehow signifies that he's not being controlled by the Others.)

Another perspective - if we assume Coldhands is the Night's king or another kind of traitor/deserter, maybe that's the reason he cannot pass. The wights that passed were actually thrutful NW brothers before they were wighted.

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Another perspective - if we assume Coldhands is the Night's king or another kind of traitor/deserter, maybe that's the reason he cannot pass. The wights that passed were actually thrutful NW brothers before they were wighted.

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- It would match up nicely: One enormous case of a missing person beyond the Wall, one enormous case of unidentified mystery man beyond the Wall. Neat, ey?

- He (very adamantly) refuses to show Bran & co his face. Presumably Bran would recognize him if he ever saw his face. On the other hand, he probably looks a bit dead and maybe doesn't want to frighten them.

- Coldhands seems to be a man of the Night's Watch.

Cons:

- Coldhands has black eyes. Benjen's are blue. Now, we know wightification normally changes eye colour, but in the other direction. Course, he's not a normal wight.

- When Bran is afraid that the wights would kill Coldhands, Leaf replies "They killed him long ago". Now, I personally think several years is a long time to be dead, but some people feel they know for sure that Leaf would never think so.

- There are alternatives who would also be Night's Watchmen, e.g. Coldhands could be the Night's King.

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The Others seem to be who controls the wights. They look like tall ice fairies, white skin, but very much alive. They have an extreme weakness to obsidian, it will melt them. They don't like fire but it's not such a killer weapon against them as against their wights. Think: Winter's necromancers with obsidian as cryptonite.

The wights on the other hand are reanimated corpses and look the part. If one attacks you, set it on fire, they're highly flammable. Obsidian doesn't help you anymore than a normal stone. Think: Zombies.

Both have burning, bright blue eyes (even wights whose bodies had a different eye colour when alive).

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Just so I'm clear, Cersei's incest charge is for sex with Lancel, correct? I'm asserting this based on the lack of action taken against Jaime by the Faith, and the fact that the High Septon is hostile towards Stannis's conversion to the fire god, and would likely be resistant towards giving credence to any accusation Stannis may level. Am I wrong on this?

The other charges are regicide, diecide, and treason. The first two are self explanatory, but what about the treason? Is this for lying about Margery (everyone recanted), plotting to kill Robert, or a catchall charge for all her actions?

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When did Jon Connington get greyscale? When I first read ADwD, I thought he already had it, which is why he didn't mind saving Tyrion, but later when he washes his hands in vinegar he thinks of Tyrion, making it seem like he got it while saving him. How could he hide it from the crew members? Lemore and Haldon not wanting to examine him just seems too far-fetched to me, especially since he would have to suddenly start wearing gloves all the time. It would also feel too convenient if the one guy who gets greyscale just happens to always wear gloves anyway, and even then no one wanting to see his hands after that event just doesn't make sense.

Basically, I don't have a clear picture how long Connington has been afflicted, and don't really see a logical way he could hide his greyscale from the crew members, especially if he got it while saving Tyrion.